Review: Native Union iPhone and Apple Watch Docks

Share & comment

Review: Native Union iPhone and Apple Watch Docks

Share & comment

It’s not very often that a single company manufacturers an iPhone dock alongside a dock for the Apple Watch with a unified design. Native Union is an accessory maker for Apple products, with a keen focus on design.

The company recently released their new line of docks for iPhoneand Apple Watch that completely complement each other. The design language used to create both docks is very similar, with both featuring anodized aluminum accent and a solid, weighted silicone base.

Our review unit happens to be the midnight blue/gold model of both docks, however, the company also offers them in dark grey/slate and a cream/rose gold.

Unboxing

The unboxing experience of the docks is akin to the unboxing experience of an Apple product, with very elegant packaging that is meant to showcase the product with simplicity. The dock bases were wrapped in a tissue paper, almost like they were little mini presents. The dock for the iPhone included a few extra adapters that you will use with your phone depending on whether or not your device has a case or not.

The only thing that is not included with the docks are the cables, so you will need to provide your own Lightning cable or Apple Watch charging puck depending on which dock you are using.

If you are interested, Native Union offers a unique selection of tangle-free, easy-to-use Lightning cables. The one I am using with the iPhone dock is Native Union’s Belt cable which, as the name suggests, has a built in strap to tie the cable neatly when you are traveling.

Setup

Setting up both docks could not be easier. Both docks feature designs that allow for fantastic cable management. In order to set up the Apple Watch dock, you must remove the rotating metal accent in order to insert the charging puck (which you must provide yourself). After you insert the charging puck, the cables tuck in neatly behind the metal accent. Then, the metal accent can be inserted back into the base, and it will be aligned automatically by magnets.

The iPhone dock takes a bit more effort to setup because you will need to insert the correct adapter based on if you are using a case or not. The Lightning cable of your choice can be inserted into the adapter and then inserted into the base. The entire iPhone dock is very minimalistic, however, it works incredibly well and looks amazing.

Usage

Both docks feature bases that are nice and heavy, and since they are made of silicone, they will not slip around on your desk. The base of the iPhone dock has a handy place to store the alternate adapters.

The Apple Watch dock can work in both vertical and horizontal directions, which allows it to work in Nightstand Mode when you are in bed. The iPhone dock can work with or without cases, which makes it so much better than most docks on the market that require you to take off your case in order to use it.

Conclusion

I really like both the iPhone and Apple Watch dock from Native Union. They both complement each other very well and they are well built. The docks can be a bit difficult to assemble and if you have to remove the cable it can be quite a task.

If you are looking for an iPhone or an Apple Watch dock, you can’t go wrong with either of the options from Native Union. You can find both the iPhone and Apple Watch docks on Amazon for $74.99 and $89.99 respectively, which aren’t exactly cheap, but you do pay for the quality. Native Union also sells both docks together for $135.99 on its website.